What are the chances???

Just a couple of training runs to report.

Last Friday I ran my regular 10km local loop in a quick 0:48:36. I was very impressed to see all my km splits below 5 minutes and feel I am getting back to my former pace.

This morning I had another 6:30am start for my 10km run and this time I ran the loop in reverse. Once again it was another quick 0:48:39 and I feel a lot better now for making the effort and going for a run.

My race pack for this Sundays Arthurs Seat Challenge has arrived with a very strange coincidence.

When I opened the race pack I was sure that the race number of 0727 looked familiar.

Seeing as I have kept all my previous race numbers I went through my old ones and was surprised to find that the Olympic Dream from last year also had 727!

What are the chances of that happening? Has it happened to anyone else?

Taking it as a sign of good things I am looking forward to this weekends run.

It also made up my mind to enter in this years Olympic Dream on Sunday the 19th of November. The course has been changed considerably to a 5 km loop and you now have to pay for the medals. But I will enter because I still want to set an official sub 50 minute 10km time for a preferred start in the 2007 Run for the Kids.

Late Edit: My monthly total for October was pretty dismal. 118.8km is one of my lowest months. I suppose there is something in this "post marathon blues" business. No excuses for next month. Time to kick arse!

Garmin Panic!!

Thanks everyone for your latest fantastic comments. Its hard to slack off when I feel I will be letting so many people down.

Sundays long run didn't eventuate due to ebay pick up business but I did get out for the regular 10km circuit on Monday

I completing the 10.2km distance in 0:50:09 and felt alot better for doing it too. Mondays 10km run heart rate and elevation chart.

More details for this run can be found at Motionbased here.

I was heading out the door today for a planned mid-week long run when I found that my Garmin Forerunner 305 wouldn't turn on!!

I returned to plug The Garminator into its USB port but still nothing, he wouldn't respond!

With growing concern and panic I turned to the Garmin website in the hope of finding 1st aid instructions. After scrolling through the information (hhhmmm a lot of new stuff since I last visited), I found a description of Garminators symptoms (blank screen, no beeps, looks like it is f*$#ed) and a remedy.

With growing trepidation I pressed the Power, Mode and Reset buttons simultaneously.

A great sigh of relief when 'my Precious' emitted his all familiar "Beep" and 'Battery charging in progress' started scrolling across the screen.

The Garminator is now resting quietly plugged into the main power while I have a strong coffee and a little lie down.

I did briefly consider going for a run minus the technology but due to receiving a phone call while all this was going on I am now waiting for a Tradesman to show up.

I have to go to work at midday so unfortunately my run will be scratched for the day.

Better luck tomorrow.

Time to pull the finger out

It has been a week and a half since my last post and I seemed to have lost my way a little.

I have only been for two runs since then. A 12km loop in 0:58:53 around the Yarra River last Saturday and my local 10km circuit yesterday. Without having the marathon training plan to keep me honest I find it easy to make excuse for not running.

The bathroom scales on the other hand are making no excuses and are refusing to take a break. With a 'who gives a shit' diet and lack of activity my weight has slowly increased to back over 96 kilo. Very frustrating indeed.

The weight gain doesn't fit in to my "lose 10 kilos before 2007 Melbourne Marathon" plan so its now time to pull the finger out and get back into it.

Yesterdays 10km run was part of the renewed effort and I just did 1/2 an hour with Jillian Micheals Cardio Kickbox . Tomorrow I have planned a 17km long run and to start monitoring my eating habits.

I have entered in the 6.7km Arthurs Seat Challenge on the 5th of November (our 11th wedding anniversary date sorry/thank you my loving wife). A short run but with a significant up hill portion, it sounds like a fun race for a good cause and a free T-shirt too!

My apolgies too all for neglecting your blogs. I'm sure I have heaps of reading to catch up.

After a Marathon the running continues

Since the Melbourne Marathon it has taken around three days for my leg soreness to abate enough to consider going for a run.

This morning I set off early for my regular, 10km circuit. It was shaping up to be a hot, windy day in Melbourne and I arrived back home rather windblown in 0:50:29.

More details can be found on Motionbased.

It is all official now. I ran the 2006 Melbourne Marathon in 4:13:27. In my age group that put me as 238th! One of the funnier moments I recalled from the event was while running/limping up Fitzroy st in St Kilda. I was slowing down and clutching at my thighs when a scruffy looking man, sitting on the gutter drinking from a long necked bottle in a brown paper bag, called out "run through the cramps mate, you are nearly there". He then laughed hysterically. Looked like he was having a great time offering pearls of wisdom. I wonder if he was a previous marathon runner?!?

There is a few race photos floating around from the event. Most are not very flattering and one even has me as walking (so embarrassing). Thanks to Coolrunnings 'MyImages' I have a rather painful looking one of me struggling along.

I have ordered the race finishing photo from Supersportsimages and hopefully that will be arriving soon.

So what next I wonder. It is 12 months till the next Melbourne Marathon and I will have to find some events to run in before then. I am interested in the Echuca Sweat versus Steam on the 19th of November but I am still waiting to see if I will get leave from work to compete in that one.

Until then I will do the Forrest Gump thing and keep on running.

Melbourne Marathon 2006

I have arrived back home from the Melbourne Marathon and though I didn't make my expected time of 3:45, I did complete the event and set a Marathon PB of 4:13.

Even though the start was delayed by 15 minutes it was worth it to hear the National Anthem being played. Not many of the competiors joined in the singing but there must of been a little girl, about 7 years old, at the front singing her heart out. The Race Starter dropped the mic to her level and even though she was out of time and tune the moment was priceless. She received a resounding ovation.

Coolrunnings 'Digger' was driving the 3:45 pace bus and I jumped on and followed him along.

The Thursday previously I had bought a new running singlet for the marathon and at the 15km mark, after splashing water all over myself, I started to expercience a new sensation, bleeding nipples. I have never had this problem before during earlier races so didn't put much thought into protecting the pointy bits. I stopped at a St Johns van for some band-aids but they had trouble sticky to my sweaty, bear like, chest hair. Luckily by then my singlet had dried out and the irrataion had subsided. I tried to avoid getting my top wet then but had created a blood stain on my mostly white new top.

I passed the half way point of 21.1km at 1:50:11 and my my last five weeks of slack training was starting to show. At the 26km point running a Half Marathon seemed like a good idea as I slowly lost the pace bus. 29kms and after losing sight of Digger and struggling on some small hills I started to walk.

The rest of the event seemed to go past as a walk/jog/run while I slowly cramped up. My thoughts turned to how if I lost a further 10 kilos, and committed myself to not cheating the training long runs, I will kick arse in 2007!

I grabbed a icy-pole from the Coolrunner cheer squad at the 35km mark and Jaykay caught me around 36.5km for a little inspirational push along while she ran her Half Mara. I had to let her go as leg cramps demanded a short walking break.

The finishing chute looked so very long till I finally passed under the finish banner. An MC announced my name as I looked over and spotted my family cheering me on. Maybe it was joy or maybe tiredness but I had a very emotional moment then as tears welled in my eyes.

Me finishing complete with a bloody nipple stain.

Details for my first Marathon can be found on Motionbased here.

My injuries from running 42.195kms are a blood blister on my right foot, very tired, stiff legs, the previously mentioned chaffed nipples and a moderate sunburn. Guess who didn't think of sunscreen??

And that is my Melbourne Marathon experience. Not as fast as I wished but I still beat Oprah Winfreys time of four hours, 29 minutes. And even beat Sean "P Diddy" Combs time of four hours, 14 minutes and 45 seconds.

SportsTracks only has my walking distance of 1.3km and a slow 7 minute pace jog of 11km's. A good time to beat for next year.

Marathon Eve

After 18 weeks of training the Next Big Thing is nearly here.

By this time tomorrow I will have completed the 2006 Melbourne Marathon.

Even though I think my training has been a little lacking at times, I am still confident that if I pace myself sensibly, I will be running the whole way with a 3:45ish time.

Regardless of what happens on the day I am going to soak up the atmosphere and have FUN.

I would like to thank EVERYONE for your great comments and support. Without out this blog and all your encouragement I don't think tomorrow would be happening.

I hope everybody has a great weekend with their own running achievements.

Ocean Grove Beach Run

Sundays Long Run

The kids had been staying at Nanna's and Granpa's place for the second week of school holidays in sunny Ocean Grove Vic and on the weekend Sal and I drove down there to pick them up.

I took my running gear with me planning on my last, long run before Melbourne Marathon in six days (oh my god!!!).

Early Sunday morning it was a beautiful Spring start to the day as I headed down towards the beach.

After initially getting a little lost in the unfamiliar Ocean Grove back streets I found myself overlooking Bass Strait.

Ocean Grove beach looking toward Point Lonsdale

The original plan of attack was to run to Point Lonsdale and return. But having never run in sand before, and the Point looking a terribly long way away, I decided it may not have been the smartest choice. I turned west and make my way to the closer looking Barwon Heads.

It was very exhilarating running on the waters edge. The sun was warming my back and there was a slight breeze. The sand felt soft in places and I considered taking off my Kayanos to feel it barefoot. Not wanting to carry my shoes I decided to keep them on my feet.

Making tracks

At the 7km mark I rounded the headland to the mouth of the Barwon River and after having a brief rest I ran back toward Ocean Grove following a coastal road.

It was a little steep getting back to the township and making my way back to our weekend base.

Sundays Long Run Elevation chart.

In the end I completed a very fulfilling 13.8km in 1:11:58.

Further Motionbased details can be found here.

Now I will be enjoing my Taper week before Sundays HUGE race.

100 things list catch up.

Thanks all for your great comments regarding my list. I was starting to worry that I revealed too much of myself but I'm now glad that I did. It was a very cleansing experience.

Please remember that the "Divorce Boy" stuff happened over 20 years ago in 1985/86. A Current Affair or Derryn Hinch would no longer be interested in what I'm doing. It seems like such a long time has passed since then and I am a different person now.

I have only worn the evil Asics Gel Eagles a few times but the last time I hurt my shins badly and was laid up from running for a week. In fairness to the shoes it may not have been entirely their fault, more likely the downhill running I was doing at the time. I will give the evil shoes another chance after the Marathon.